Method of and machine for conditioning stereotype matrices



Jan. 30, 1940. M CLARK 2,188,528

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR CQNDITIONING STEREOTYPE MATRICES Filed Dec. 9,1936 TEMPERATURE MOTOR -5PE ED I015 20 253035404550 TIME I swarms JW/a1%; 46,741 WWW?! REM I Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTorncr.

*IE'IHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR CONDI- TIONING STEREOTYPEMATRICES 5 Claims.

This invention relates-to the shaping to curved contour and the dryingout or scorching of matrices for use in the production of stereotypeprinting plates. In my Patent No. 1,935,352 granted May 20, 1931, forMethod of and mechanism for treating stereotype matrices, is disclosed amachine in which a moist matrix is inserted in curved condition andsubjected to the action of centrifugal force to shape it to accuratecurved contour and to expel a portionof the moisture, and it is alsosubjected to heat to dry out and set the matrix in formed condition.

The present invention relates to the same general method, but withcertain improvements. In the patented machine, the receptacle in whichthe matrix is subjected to centrifugal force is maintained hot, evenwhen the matrix is inserted, and if the matrix is permitted to remaintherein for any substantial time before the receptacle is brought up torotational speed, and particularly with certain types of matrix, thematrix may become so set before the centrifugal action is fullyeffective that it fails to become shaped to perfect contour.

In accordance with the present invention, therefore, the receptacle isunheated when the matrix is placed therein and the matrix is given aninitial centrifugal treatment sufficient to insure proper conformation,but insuflicient to injure the type impression, before the matrix issubjected to heated drying action. When it is subjected to this heateddrying action, it is also subjected to a more rapid rotation, whichfurther aids in expelling the moisture from the matrix.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may behad to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection, of a machine employing the method of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the cycle of operations of the machine.

Referring to the drawing, at I is shown a cylindrical container open atits upper end and having a base 2 at its lower end. This container issecured to the upper end of a shaft 3 which is suitably journaled in apair of spaced bearings 4 and 5 supported by a machine frame 6.

The container I is arranged within an outer casing comprising a base Ithrough which is formed an enlarged opening 8 through which the shaft 3passes, and to this base is secured an annular upright wall member Il,reinforced at its upper edge by a rim member 9. This casing acts as asafety mechanism to prevent-damage, should the container I for anyreason become badly off-centered in rotation so as to prevent it fromcausing damage, and it also retains mois- 6 ture flying off from thecontainer through perforations ID in its side wall which facilitate theexpulsion of moisture from the matrix by the centrifugal action. Thecontainer I may be constructed substantially in accordance with the 10disclosure in my Patent No. 1,935,352 hereinbefore mentioned. Within thecontainer I is shown suspended a foraminous cage I 2 having a perforatedcylindrical side wall I3, a bottom wall I4 and a top wall I5. This cageis stationary, but is maintained substantially coaxial with thecontainer I. Partly for this purpose, the top member I5 is shown asextended above the upper edge of the container I where it is supportedas by means of a pair of pipes l6 and I1, which, in turn, are carried bya bracket l9 fixed to the stationary rim member 9.

' The pipe I6 communicates with an annular chamber 20 formed within anupward extension 95 2| of the top member I5 and between its outer walland a downward extension 22 of the pipe H. The pipe II terminates in agas jet 23 which extends slightly into the upper end of the cage I2, andbelow it is positioned a suitable ignition device, as at 24, hereinshown as of the electric type. The pipe I6 is intended to carry acurrent of air which enters the top of the cage I2 around the gas jet23, mixing with the gas therefrom and forming a combustible mixturewhich is more or 35 less confined within the cage I2. Thus this cagebecomes a source of heated air which discharges therefrom substantiallyevenly throughout its length and toward the inner wall of the containerI. The matrix to be shaped and dried is 40 placed between the cage andthe inner wall of the container I, whereupon the container is rotatedabout its axis so as to press the matrix, which is in relatively softcondition, against the inner wall of the container and cause it to con-4| form thereto by the action of centrifugal force.

Rotation of the container I is shown as produced by a motor 25 having abelt pulley 26 thereon connected by means of a belt 21 to the beltpulley 28 secured to the shaft 3 between the '0 bearings 4 and 5. Onestretch of the belt 21 also engages a small belt pulley 30 on a verticalshaft 3|. This shaft 3I at its upper end is operatively connected to ablower 32 of any suitable type by which air is forced into the pipe I6.This shaft 3| is shown as supported in bearings 35 and 38 secured to thecasing l and at its lower end in a bearing 81 at the base of themachine. The motor 25 maybe provided with a magnetic brake 40 which willautomatically come into action when current is interrupted to the motor25, thus to stop the rotation of the motor and through it the rotationof the container l and the operation of the blower 32 when current iscut ofi to the motor. Such an arrangement of motor and brake is wellknown in the art and per se is not a part of this invention, so that nofurther description thereof is believed necessary.

At 45 is shown a solenoid-actuated valve for controlling the supply ofgas delivered to the pipe I! from the supply pipe 46. This may be asolenoid-actuated valve of well known type which acts to open the valvea predetermined time after the energization of the solenoid.

At 50 is shown a main switch box for controlling the supply of currentto the motor 25 and to the solenoid-operated valve 45 through a timeswitch shown at Such time switches are old and well known and may be soset that when the switch at 50 is closed, the motor is energized androtates at, say, half speed for a predetermined number of seconds, as,for example, eighteen or nineteen, in accordance with the diagram ofFigure 3. A predetermined time after the start of the motor, shown inFigure 3 as approximately six seconds, the switch 45 opens the supply ofgas to the pipe I and it is ignited at the nozzle 23, air being suppliedby the blower 32, which was started when the motor 25 was started.

The initial period of rotation of the container before the gas isignited and while unheated air is blown through the cage is sufficientto cause the wet matrix to become conformed by centrifugal force to thecurvature of the inner wall of the container, but the rotational speedduring that period is held sufiiciently low so that the centrifugalforce is insuflicient to damage the type impressions of the matrix. Toohigh speed of rotation would tend to flatten the type impressions,forcing the matrix toward flat contact all over with the wall of thecontainer. The matrix thus having had time to be properly conformed tothe interior curvature of the container, is then subjected to the actionof heated air which is substantially uniformly projected thereagainst byreason of the distributing action of the cage i2, and the speed ofrotation of the motor is then increased. The subjection of the matrix toheated air causes it to be dried out quickly to a suflicient extent, sothat no damage to the type impressions is thereafter to be feared from ahigher rate of rotation with its attendant increased centrifugal force.This increased centrifugal force acts to further expel moisture from thematrix, as through the perforations ll) of the container wall, and theincrease in the supply of air due to the high speed of the motor furtherincreases the rate of the drying action, and also the heat to which thematrix is subjected.

In the diagram of Figure 3, the motor is shown as operated atsubstantially half speed after it reaches this speed from zero, for aperiod of about 18 or 19 seconds after the machine has been set intooperation, whereupon the speed of rotation increases to full speed andthe heat correspondingly increases to a maximum after about 34 seconds.This action continues until about 54 1 seconds after the start ofoperations, whereupon the motor is shut down and the gas is cut ofl andthe container I is brought to rest in about a minute after the start ofoperations, at which time the matrix will have been completely conformedand dried in condition for use in casting stereotype plates and thecontainer cooled suiiiciently to receive the next matrix to be"scorched."

It will, of course, be evident that various different cycles ofoperations might be arranged for by proper adjustment of the timeswitches, but the particular cycle shown has been found in practice tobe quite satisfactory for the usual matrices used in connection withnewspaper work. It will also be evident to those skilled in the art thatvarious other changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A machine of the class described, comprising a rotatable perforatedcylindrical container within which a matrix in soft wet condition may beplaced, said container being open at its upper end, a foraminous cagesuspended within the container, a gas jet extending into the cage, meansfor supplying gas to said jet, an igniter for gas located adjacent thejet, a chamber surrounding the gas jet and communicating with theinterior of said cage, a blower for blowing air into the chamber andsaid cage, and a motor for rotating the container and actuating theblower.

2. The method which comprises placing a wet matrix in a cool cylindricalcontainer having an inner side wall face of substantially the desiredcurvature of the matrix, rotating the container about its axis at a ratesufficient to conform said matrix by centrifugal force to the curvatureof said face while the matrix is cool but at a rate insufficient todamage the type impressions in said matrix, then subjecting said matrixto a current of hot gases to dry the matrix, then cooling said matrixand container and stopping their rotation, and then removing the driedand formed matrix from the container.

3. The methodwhich comprises placing a wet matrix in a cool cylindricalcontainer having an inner wall face of substantially the desiredcurvature of the matrix, rotating the container about its axis at a ratesuflicient to conform said matrix by centrifugal force to the curvatureof said face but at a rate insufficient to damage the type impressionsin said matrix and while blowing cool air thereagainst, then introducinga. combustible gas into said air and igniting the mixture therebyheating and drying the matrix and while the matrix is still subjected tocentrifugal force, stopping the flow of gas while continuing tointroduce air to cool said matrix and container and discontinuing therotation of said container, and thereafter removing said matrix fromsaid container.

4. The method which comprises placing a wet matrix in a cool centrifugalcontainer having an inner wall face of substantially the desiredcurvature of the matrix, rotating the container about its axis at a ratesufllcient to conform said matrix by centrifugal force to the curvatureof said face but at a rate insuflicient to damage the type impressionsin said matrix and while blowing cool air thereagainst, then introducinga combustible gas into said air and igniting the mixture thereby heatingand drying the matrix and while the matrix is subjected to an increasedcentrifugal force, stopping the flow of gas while continuing tointroduce air to cool said matrix and container and discontinuing therotation of said container, and thereafter removing said matrix fromsaid container.

5. A machine of the class described comprising a cylindrical containeropen at one end, means supporting said container for rotation about itsaxis, a foraminous cage supported from said open 10 end within saidcontainer, 9. gas jet extending into said cage, a blower for blowing airinto said cage, an electric motor for rotating said container andactuating said blower, a main control switch, electricallyactuated meansfor controlling the supply of gas to said jet, electrical ignition meansadjacent to said jet, and an electric timing cycle control for said gascontrol and ignition means and said motor control, controlled by saidmain switch.

GEORGE M. CLARK.

